Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cerquilho Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cerquilho

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $736 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,591 in Cerquilho, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cerquilho are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cerquilho 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.12 R$30.99

-2.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$28.30 R$143

17.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.14 R$36.13

1.26%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.85 R$9.38

-11.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.31 R$6.65

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.87 R$4.39

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.05 R$5.32

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.74 R$13.87

17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.12 R$5.68

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.40 R$7.08

-7.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 R$6.54

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.37 R$11.98

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.26 R$41.83

-47.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$1.77 R$8.96

232.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.43 R$27.48

58.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.84 R$9.33

22.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.82 R$9.20

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.07 R$5.40

42.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.53 R$7.74

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.27 R$6.44

-7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.56 R$2.81

108.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.75 R$3.82

18.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.53 R$2.66

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.28 R$6.50

75.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.54 R$43.24

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.10 R$5.56

3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.76 R$13.96

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.94 R$4.78

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.25 R$199

6.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.93 R$4.72

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.06 R$5.36

79.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.49 R$42.99

-8.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.01 R$5.13

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.1K R$111.8K

-20.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.4K R$148.9K

-9.89%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$47.27 R$239

77.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$12.80 R$64.8

-26.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$14.17 R$71.7

70.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.84 R$116

10.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.58 R$109

-11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.36 R$27.16

-23.51%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$310 R$1,572

0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,798 R$34.4K

-11.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$30.48 R$154

90.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$17.70 R$89.6

83.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$54.2 R$275

83.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$72.3 R$366

50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$317 R$1,604

52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$216 R$1,092

75.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$593 R$3,004

41.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$422 R$2,135

71.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,423 R$7,202

99.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,069 R$5,410

14.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cerquilho: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $317 in Cerquilho. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Cerquilho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $164 – making Cerquilho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Cerquilho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 38% more than Cerquilho, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,104 in Cerquilho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cerquilho, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $310 in Cerquilho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cerquilho, where all-in costs run around $736, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Cerquilho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $736 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cerquilho. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.